Union County Prosecutor's OfficeRev. Moises Cotto, 55, pastor of the Congregation Yahweh on Chester Avenue in NewarkNEWARK — At the Newark church where his congregants dress all in white, he was known as a husband, father and respected pastor for more than 20 years.

But, authorities said, Moises Cotto, the 55-year-old pastor, had been meeting for the past two years with a female congregant at a motel in Linden where the pair had sex — and forced two teenage girls to videotape them in the act.

Cotto was arrested at his apartment in East Orange on Monday night, and charged with kidnapping, aggravated assault, attempted aggravated sexual assault and endangering the welfare of a minor.

His parishioner, Brenda Pabon, 37, of Middlesex County, has been charged with kidnapping and endangering the welfare of a minor.

But Wednesday, the assistant pastor of the Newark church, Yahweh Templo El Candelero, said he is convinced Cotto is innocent. He called Pabon a "problematic parishioner," saying she had recently threatened the pastor and vowed to leave his congregation along with her husband.

"I do think that an injustice is being done, based on my friendship with the minister," said Assistant Pastor A. Diaz. "There’s no truth to the allegations. He’s been an upstanding pastor for more than 20 years."

The church carefully screens pastors, Diaz said, and holds them to "high standards."

Prosecutors say they have significant physical evidence that corroborates the victims’ allegations.

Cotto’s sexual affair began with Pabon after she sought counseling from the pastor, authorities said. The pair met at the Benedict Motel on Routes 1&9 in Linden, where they allegedly forced two teenage girls to videotape them engaged in sexual acts, and several times instructed at least one girl to undress and pose for photos with Cotto.

During at least one of their weekly meetings at the motel, the pastor was accused of attempting to sexually assault one of the girls, who resisted, authorities said.

The motel meetings continued until about two weeks ago, when one of the teenage victims reported the abuse to a parent, Union County Prosecutor Theodore Romankow said.

Cotto, who is also affiliated with Yahweh Congregations in Jersey City and Paterson, was being held at the Union County Jail on $1.3 million bail, authorities said. Pabon surrendered to authorities Tuesday and was being held on $750,000 bail.

The door was locked Wednesday on the white stone church of Templo El Candelero — Spanish for "Temple Menorah" — on Chester Avenue in the North Ward, where about 50 mostly Puerto Rican congregants gather for Friday and Saturday services.

Their religious movement, called the Congregation of Yahweh, follows many Jewish practices although the church is not officially recognized by Jewish organizations.

During his four years as pastor at this temple, Cotto helped senior citizens with home repair and assisted in distributing food to the needy in Newark and other cities, Diaz said.

In the high-rise apartment building in East Orange where Cotto lived with his wife and son and worked as superintendent, residents said they were taken aback by the charges.

Cotto was polite and meticulous, an early-riser often seen sporting a bright white fedora on his way to church with his wife and grown son, who each wore immaculate white suits.